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Buyside seeks structured product regulation
Special Report: Derivatives quarterly - industry divided over regulation and infrastructure
Demands from asset managers for a European legal framework for the transparency and distribution of structured products is dividing the market, with many sellside participants saying further regulation is unnecessary.
The row started after asset management lobby groups urged the European Commission to introduce rules governing the rapidly-growing structured products industry, to bring it more in line with investment funds regulation.
While sellside industry associations and several national regulators are opposing intervention by the commission, the buyside remains confident a proposal will be forged once the presidency of the Council of the European Union changes from Slovenia to France in the second half of this year.
So far there have been 80 responses to the commission’s call for evidence. There will be an open hearing in June/July based on the responses and a policy paper is likely to be released in October.
A senior banker in London said: “It could be seen as political. Once the presidency changes hands, the new legislation might get finalised. It is the French that are driving this thing.”
Not everyone agrees that it is a certainty.
Tim Hailes, managing director and associate general counsel of JP Morgan in London, said: “The call for evidence from the EC on regulation for structured products is carefully worded. There is no pre-defined agenda of any kind. It strikes the right tone.”
He said: “It is important to keep a sense of proportion. It is unlikely that the EU wants to go ahead with yet more directives in the wake of the markets in financial instruments directive. It will want to see the dust settle first. The burden of proof is on those that want to see change, not the other way around.”
Isda is part of the consortium of industry associations opposing regulatory change. Others include the European Securitisation Forum, the International Capital Market Association, the London Investment Banking Association and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.
There are several issues at stake in the debate. First is whether structured products should be treated and regulated in the same way as asset management funds.
Peter De Proft, the Brussels-based director-general of the European Fund and Asset Management Association, said: “All we are asking for is a level playing field. There is no way near the same level of disclosure and transparency for structured products as there is for asset management funds.”
The European Fund and Asset Management Association and the Association Française de Gestion Financière, which represents the French asset management industry, are both reportedly pressing for regulatory change.
De Proft said the call for change was not politically motivated: “This is just the first step in the process. This is how the EC does things. For sure there will be change. To say it is political is ridiculous. It is about fair competition.”
He added: “No one is saying that structured products and asset management are exactly the same but they can satisfy the same investment needs. In other words, they are in competition for the same business. That is why structured products are labelled substitute products. They perform a substitute role. As such they should be treated in the same way. It is only fair.”
Isda also challenges the notion that structured products and investment funds are interchangeable. For one thing, structured products are typically not long dated, unlike many investments in funds, it argues.
Metcalfe said: “Many people who invest in funds do it for the really long term, they are looking to set something aside for their retirement. Structured product investors are looking for something else, usually a strictly defined return within a shorter investment horizon.”
Also at stake is whether national regulators have the tools to regulate structured products themselves, without a supra-national directive to guide them.
This is especially important given that structured products are offered in different formats in different countries. The German market tends to wrap structured products in warrants. In Italy structured products are more closely linked to asset management.
In the UK, structured products have not been so successful because the market tends to like tax-exempt products such as individual savings accounts. Structured products do not get a favourable tax status in the UK.
There is also a debate about complex versus non-complex products, what constitutes the two and how best to regulate them.
Hailes said: “It seems that in Europe derivative products can sometimes be deemed complex.”
Metcalfe added: “No lazy thinking can be done on this issue. While the mechanics behind a product can be complex, what it achieves can be simple. Does the investor need to know about the individual components that go into the structure? Not really. They want to know about the risks and the rewards.”
Fund managers, however, argue that investors must be able to understand the mechanics of any investment vehicle. De Proft agrees.
He said: “If people had understood the mechanics behind sub-prime then the situation might have looked different and they might have bought other products. There needs to be adequate access to the information. For structured products does the investor receive a daily net asset value? The answer is no. But they should.”
Isda believes that the banks already act responsibly in the selling of structured products and protecting their clients. Metcalfe said: “An investor takes a decision on risk. It is as simple as that. The real issue is how best to police distribution. But there are already processes for that.
“Moreover, an individual sale by a retail-facing firm may take place as part of a continuous relationship with the customer, rather than as an isolated transaction, in which there could be a whole series of conversations about a customer’s portfolio and its performance. This provides a good level of security for the customer.”
Some national regulators are also resisting European intervention, believing they are best positioned to police distribution of structured products in their country.
Tim Grange, a policy officer in the retail policy division at the UK’s Financial Services Authority, said: “It is not our business to regulate the shape of every product. We would be on a hiding to nothing with that.
“But we are in the best position to tackle issues relating to distribution since national markets are ultimately where any problems come home to roost anyway. It would be difficult to try to harmonise a regulatory framework for competing products. In practice Mifid is the new standard and any new regulation should operate within that standard.”
Spanish regulator Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores has said it will eliminate sales of complex structured products to retail investors without advice in Spain. Norway’s Financial Supervisory Authority has tightened rules on the sale of structured products to retail investors.
Meanwhile, sellside participants fear a supra-national directive could be damaging for product development, according to Hailes.
Metcalfe agreed: “The risks of getting it wrong are large. The demand for structured products is growing significantly.”
Lauren Ash, a director of equity derivatives and structured products at Citigroup Wealth Management in London, is less concerned. She said: “Tax is a significant economic driver for structured products. Even if there is regulatory change there will always be high demand from people looking for solutions that make sense from a tax perspective.
“The new regulation excludes tax so it will not kill the structured products market. The worlds of fund management and structured products are converging. And we are relaxed about convergence.”


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Источник: The DairyNews
"We have discussed further ways of business development in the country with the representative of Danone in Belarus. The main message from the Ministry of agriculture and food is expanding resource zone due to the company's investment in construction of its own dairy farms," wrote Alexey Bogdanov.
Earlier it was reported that Belarus plans to produce 9.2 million tons of milk by 2020.
Read full article in Russian on DairyNews.ru

domain: news


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Fixes plenty of Crossfire issues ahead of Radeon Pro Duo launch
AMD has released its newest Radeon Software Crimson Edition 16.4.2 hotfix drivers, which brings new Crossfire profiles, fixes plenty of Crossfire issues and adds full support for AMD XConnect eGFX technology.
Ready when Radeon Pro Duo launches tomorrow
EK Water Blocks has teased its newest full cover water block designed for AMD's latest flagship dual-GPU graphics card, the AMD Radeon Pro Duo.
Die size of around 333mm2
Finally we get a clear picture of a version of the GP104 Pascal GPU which is rumored to be the heart of the upcoming Nvidia Geforce GTX 1070 graphics card, the GP104-200.
With new MX Speed switches
Corsair is an exclusive partner for the launch of the new and fastest ever Cherry MX Speed switches so the company has decided to launch no less than three new keyboards, the K70 RGB Rapidfire, the K65 RGB Rapidfire and the K70 Rapidfire.
With Corsair as an exclusive partner
Cherry has unveiled its new Cherry MX Speed mechanical switches, that will feature a very short travel, low response time and high switching frequency, making them ideal for gamers as well as typists.
GTX 950 for workstation market
Nvidia has rather silently unveiled its newest Quadro series professional graphics card aimed for workstation and a broad range of professional applications, the new Quadro M2000.
Based on GP106 GPU
According to the latest report, Nvidia plans to launch next-generation mainstream segment graphics cards, based on GP106 GPU, in Autumn, or late Q3/early Q4 2016.
Gives it Core M Skylake CPUs and new color
Apple has rather silently updated its Macbook line by equipping it with new Intel Core M Skylake CPUs as well as the new fancy Rose Gold color option.
Looks real enough
As Nvidia's next-generation Geforce graphics cards are scheduled to launch sometime around Computex 2016 show in June, it does not come as a surprise to see a couple of leaks including the latest one which shows the Geforce GTX 1080 graphics card.


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The Med Lounge, a clinic that offers medical, cosmetic and wellness treatments, has opened at Mercantile West in Ladera Ranch. The spa offers skin and body treatments, as well as membership packages.
Services include injectables, such as Botox, Xeomin, Kybella and others; non-invasive body contouring; skin treatments for cleansing, resurfacing, tightening, and contouring, RF MicroNeedling, hair removal and restoration and other beauty and wellness treatments.
Med Lounge is owned by Ladera Ranch resident Brittany De Anda and the spa’s medical director, Dr. Alex Roher. De Anda also owns Shredz Gym and Movement by Shredz in nearby Terrace Shops, also in Ladera Ranch.
“Everyone deserves to feel like the best version of themselves, and we take pride in educating clients and helping them achieve their goals,” DeAnda said in a statement.
The Med Lounge is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Address: 25652 Crown Valley Parkway, Suite F2-3. For more information, call 949-210-3420 or go to themedlounge.com.


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August 21, 2014 10:34:17 AM
AMORY -- Voters in Amory will decide Oct. 14 whether to legalize the sale of alcoholic beverages.
WTVA-TV reports the town's Board of Aldermen set the referendum date this week after completion of a petition drive.
Supporters say the sale of alcoholic drinks would help local businesses. Opponents believe legalization would diminish the Monroe County town's quality of life.
While liquor sales in Amory now are prohibited, alcohol sales are legal in Aberdeen, the county's other larger municipality.
2. Man gets life sentences for kidnapping, sexual battery COLUMBUS & LOWNDES COUNTY
3. Petition calls for Baptist to reinstate privileges for longtime OBGYN COLUMBUS & LOWNDES COUNTY
4. Luckett resigning from SOCSD school board STARKVILLE & OKTIBBEHA COUNTY
5. Man charged for striking Starkville officer STARKVILLE & OKTIBBEHA COUNTY


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Maruti Suzuki restarts 600 dealerships, begins home delivery of vehicles
Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has re-opened 600 dealerships and also started home deliveries of the cars. The auto major had closed these dealerships due to coronavirus-led lockdown.
India’s largest carmaker claims that it has put in place a comprehensive standard operating procedure (SoP) across its sales outlets and reinforced digital infrastructure for vehicle purchase amid COVID-19 pandemic.
Shashank Srivastava, Executive Director, Marketing and Sales, MSI, said, “Over the last few days we have been able to make 600-odd dealerships operational across the country. The dealers have applied for permissions to open up in states where such clearances are mandatory.”
Maruti Suzuki has started 474 Arena outlets, 80 Nexa dealerships and 45 commercial vehicle sales outlets. It has around 3,080 dealerships across 1,960 cities and towns in the country.
The firm has also begun deliveries of cars with 55 units having already been dispatched over the last few days. However, operations at the firm's manufacturing plants remain suspended as of now.
Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director and CEO, MSI, stated, “All our dealerships have put in place steps to ensure complete safety, hygiene and sanitisation of all touchpoints.”
The company provides the door-step delivery of the vehicles. Apart from this, the dealerships will carry out the complete sterilisation of the test-drive vehicles.


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The bar scene has evolved. Whisky has made a comeback, and other classics are earning attention, too. This comes as luxury items are trending and there’s an uptick in aged brandies such as cognac and other fruit-based eaux-de-vie. And, while these fruit-derived spirits have not kept pace with other luxury-aged spirits such as single malts (up 12 per cent in Ontario) or deluxe rum (up 10 per cent in Ontario), they are seeing increases.
In Ontario, for example, the LCBO reports cognac sales in fiscal 2011/12 grew by 5.8 per cent in net sales and 6.6 per cent in volume. Overall, the cognac category has a 16-per-cent share of licensee sales in Ontario, according to Heather MacGregor, senior communications consultant, LCBO.
But, what cognac may lack as share of a market pie chart, it makes up for in reputation and awareness. It’s a symbol of luxury, prestige and French pedigree. However, to attract new younger consumers, major brands such as Courvoisier, Hennessy and Rémy Martin have been working to break down traditional associations of the category, which is often viewed as pretentious, old, stuffy and male-centric. An important part of this strategy is marketing cognac as ideal for cocktails and long drinks, rather than just prepared ‘neat.’
This fall, Rémy Martin took up the cause, building a pop-up “cellar” with a bar, lab-like tasting/blending room and atmospheric aging cellar, complete with oak barrels installed in a former yoga studio on Toronto’s trendy Liberty Street. Between Oct. 10 and Nov. 3, bar managers, sommeliers, mixologists and other trade insiders (and, on separate occasions, the public) were invited to experience cognac in a new way. The evenings started in the ‘bar’ with a Rémy Martin cocktail — a choice of Sidecar, Old-fashioned or Spicy Toddy. In the blending room, guests tasted four-year-old, eight-year-old and 14-year-old Rémy and were asked to recreate the correct blend to make Rémy VSOP. In the cellar room, participants tasted Coeur de Cognac and XO, drawn with a pipette out of a barrel.
Meanwhile, Courvoisier created the Culinary Masterpieces culinary challenge to inspire students and at-home chefs to use cognac in cooking. CBC’s Best Recipes Ever host Kary Osmond emceed its Culinary Masterpieces showcase held in the fall at Toronto’s Maison Mercer, and it featured the recipes of the three student chefs and three at-home chef finalists.
Back behind the bar, the personal small aging barrel is another trend. Robin Wynne, general manager and bartender at Fynn’s of Temple Bar in Toronto, says he’s been doing cask aging for about a year and a half now. He generally has about 10 casks on the go, aging cocktails and spirits for up to three months. “This integrates the flavours and adds a real smoothness,” he says.
But, any way you source it, raising awareness about classics such as cognac is an ongoing process. “For our demographic [18 to 25] the popularity of cognac is on the rise, but is still very distant behind staples such as rum and vodka. Its popularity is largely determined by references in current music trends,” admits Vincenzo Corelli, manager of Montreal’s Light UltraClub on Crescent Street. “The most common cocktail that we serve using cognac is a Stinger, made with cognac and white creme de menthe.”
The uptake among younger drinkers may be slow, but it’s coming, thanks to good cocktails, cognac-infused recipes, astute marketers and a little help from the music industry.


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Marketing service agency Innovate7 promises to “bring innovation to business” and “disrupt industries”, according to its website, which also says its clients are in the music, fashion, technology, sport, publishing and automotive sectors.
The consultancy claims to be developing technology it believes will “change the world”, having secured investment and partnership from one of the world’s largest media groups alongside private funding.
Cooke joined Topshop in June last year in the then newly-created chief marketing officer role and worked closely with founder of Topshop parent group Arcadia and the retailer’s managing director Mary Homer.
He was responsible for marketing the retailer overseas, particularly in the US and China. Topshop did not respond to a request for comment about whether the retailer has appointed a replacement.
Cooke joined Topshop from Burberry, where he was vice president of PR, events, copy and translation. There, he was credited with playing a major role in the revival of the British heritage fashion brand during his six year tenure there.


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When digital advertising is useless for businesses – The Irish Times
Companies touting the brilliance of their advertising strategies aren’t news, but they’re rarely willing to admit that something isn’t working. When it comes to digital advertising, however, there’s a growing willingness to admit that clicks – the metric by which digital tends to be measured and sold – might not count for much.
The National Lottery revealed that people watch no more than 2½ seconds of its adverts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. That’s an average number and it’s generous when it comes to Facebook where scrollers hovered over the lottery ad for 1.7 seconds before continuing; Twitter had the highest score with an average of just 3.2 seconds.
For context, National Lottery digital ads are typically 10 seconds long – so those bored eyeballs are a lot of waste. “It’s quite humbling how little people care about your ads after all the effort put into creating them, especially on Facebook in our case,” says Stephen Cleary, Social Media Manager at the National Lottery.
The findings come from research conducted by Red C using Professor Karen Nelson-Field’s Amplified Intelligence Measurement Tool. The Australian academic and founder of the Amplified Intelligence Center The research consultancy group – whose staff includes coders as well as market researchers – has developed ‘gaze tracking’ tools that measure the active attention consumers are giving to ads and how that attention translates in action.
The world’s largest brand advertisers have begun to adapt their spending and strategies accordingly, shifting from clicks and views to reach or eye gaze
The research into social media lottery adverts is the first of its kind in Ireland in terms of eye attention, according to Cleary, adding that the release of the results was intended to contribute to a wider industry conversation on effectiveness. advertising on social networks. platforms. “It’s a hot topic,” he said. Industry interest in the research is high as it was published by the World Advertising Research Center which provides articles on advertising, marketing, brands and campaigns.
Last year, in an article for the Harvard Business Review, Sinan Aral, author of The Hype Machine, began by stating, “The effectiveness of digital ads is grossly oversold. He noted that the world’s biggest brand advertisers have begun to adapt their spending and strategies accordingly, shifting from clicks and views to reach or eye gaze.
In 2018, brand giant Unilever reduced its digital advertising by almost 30% with sales growth of 3.8%. The reduction was largely achieved by reducing frequency – endless repetition annoys as much as it influences – and segmenting audiences to target new customers who weren’t seeing its ads at all.
For the lottery, the results of the new research have prompted an overhaul in terms of social media spending to strike a better balance between reach, frequency and attention. “We have decided to no longer report vanity statistics such as clicks, likes or shares,” Cleary explains.
He also delved into the concept of “coverage” where an ad fills a screen, as ads that only take up part of the screen have been shown to perform much worse in terms of attention. and reminder as those, for example, advertisements on TikTok, which fills the screen.
And understanding that viewers can’t be bothered to watch for more than a second or two had a creative impact as well. Cleary is quick to point out that the problem is with digital platforms, not the lottery’s creative strategy. “We don’t think this is a reflection of creation, but the reality of the platforms we advertise with.”
Cross-media searches of its waterslide visual – that giant slide and oversized swim ring that first featured in the brand’s advertising in the 2021 campaign and continues in the 2022 campaign – showed that 94% of Irish adults associate it with the National Lottery, even when displayed without logos or slogans. An extremely impressive cut for any creation.
Ad seen on TV screen, research finds, takes 109 days to no longer have impact
And while consumers are likely to only spend a second or two on the ad on social platforms, the brand is now justified in reworking the creative to ensure “brand distinctiveness” as Cleary calls it. – the slide and the inflatable ring – appears in the first frame with little or no text, because Internet users spend too little time on the ad to read much of it.
“Social may not be the platform that generates memories,” he says, but it has its uses in brand building. The lottery’s social media ads are more likely to be “a mild reinforcement of our distinctive brand assets”.
The Red C research figures are, he says, consistent with similar amplified intelligence research on social media attention in other markets and for other brands. “It’s a reality check for social media,” he says, noting that the research was “another reminder for us that as brand owners investing in media, we didn’t get this that we paid in digital advertising”.
In its own two-year cross-platform benchmark series, the Nelson-Field company also conducted research on the impact of television advertising on the phenomenon of decay – the point at which an advertisement’s impact wears off. What he found was that Facebook disintegrated 2.5 times faster than television and YouTube disintegrated three times faster than television.
An advert seen on a TV screen, according to research, takes 109 days to stop having an impact – bad news for those of us who think lottery adverts have been repeated so often in television this year, we’re perfect on his word Mr Blue Sky earworm jingle.


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Currently offering insight into the best places to eat and drink, the launch of Top 50 Boutique Hotels now adds sleep to the list, highlighting some of the best places to stay in the UK.
With demand for staycation breaks and first-rate experiences on the rise, the list will give consumers the definitive low-down on the best in the trade.
The 2021 list will be revealed in November at a dedicated ceremony, where a number of further specialist awards will also be announced, with thanks to headline partner, Taylors of Harrogate.
If you’re running an accommodation operation that sets the bar high, then this is the list you need to get yourself on.
The lists are created every year with the intention of giving the industry the recognition and the boost they deserve. The new venture for Boutique Hotels will follow the same process as its sister events, recruiting over 100 industry experts to cast their votes for the best establishments in the UK. Written recommendations from the voting academy will be collected and counted to create the list - this really is the industry’s choice.
It’s more important now than ever to support the industry, the Gastropub and Cocktail Bar communities have really reaped the benefits of being part of the Top 50s over the years, and particularly during the pandemic by using their new connections to share ideas and collaborate.
The Top 50 team are currently recruiting for their voting academy, so whether you’re an operator with rooms, a hotelier, writer, blogger, or designer, they would love to hear from you. Taking part would not only raise your own profile within the industry, but also lead to many hotels being recognised as a top location, providing great marketing opportunities.
Top 50 publisher Chris Lowe said: “It has been an ambition of ours to expand the Top 50 brand into the accommodation sector for some time. There are some amazing and unique boutique hotels across the UK to stay and our aim is to create a list that recognises these, builds a community amongst its operators and offers an easy way for local and global tourists to discover these. As the list is voted for by the community, it really means more to be included.
For more information on how to support Top 50 Boutique Hotels please email firstname.lastname@example.org and don’t forget to keep an eye on their socials including Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for updates.


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Business News›supply chain resilience initiative
SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE INITIATIVE
Joe Biden set to launch Indo-Pacific economic plan; seeks big role for India
The focus of the IPEF is on seven aspects: trade, particularly for small and medium enterprises (SMEs); standards for a digital economy and technology; supply-chain resilience; decarbonisation and clean energy; infrastructure; workers' standards; and, other areas of shared interest.
IPO plan okayed, TVS Supply Chain Solutions may go in for acquisitions
According to media reports, the company will use Rs 1,300 cr (out of the Rs 2,000 cr) to repay loans and invest in its overseas operations. The rest of the funds will likely be used for the purpose of strategic acquisitions.
The pandemic, geopolitical events have rebalanced global supply chains, creating opportunities for India: N Chandrasekaran
The other key trends that business and government leaders must take note of include the adoption of digital, sustainability, importance of healthcare and the changing realities of the global talent pool, according to Chandrasekaran.
AI adoption to supply chain rebalancing: Tata Chairman N Chandrasekaran lists five mega trends for future
All businesses have to become AI and data solution-compliant and no one can escape this trend, Tata Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran said on Wednesday.
Delhivery raises Rs 2,347 crore from 64 anchor investors ahead of IPO
Some of the foreign investors who participated in the anchor share allotment were Tiger Global, Bay Capital, Steadview, Fidelity, Baillie Gifford, Schroders, Amansa, Aberdeen Standard Life, GIC, Government Pension Fund Global and Invesco HK, said the banking sources.
Markets will correctly value a business in the long term: Delhivery CEO Sahil Barua“If you look at great IPOs like DMart -- it is a stock that has never traded below its IPO price…. that is the ambition we have. We want to price it in a manner that our investors make a substantial amount of money and where ultimately there is very clear visibility of how the stock compounds,” said Barua
Supply chain chaos and deglobalisation means the era of cheap and plenty may be endingEconomists are debating whether recent supply chain turmoil and geopolitical conflicts will result in a reversal or reconfiguration of global production, in which factories that were sent offshore move back to the United States and other countries that pose less of a political risk.
Global supply chain crisis flares up again where it all beganChina accounts for about 12% of global trade and Covid restrictions have idled factories and warehouses, slowed truck deliveries and exacerbated container logjams. U.S. and European ports are already swamped, leaving them vulnerable to additional shocks.
Future Group to focus on saving, rebuilding Future Lifestyle, Future Supply Chain & Future ConsumerReliance on Saturday called off its Rs 24,713-crore deal to acquire Future Group's retail, wholesale, logistics and warehousing assets, after the secured creditors of the Kishore Biyani-led companies voted against it.
Treasury secretary calls for reshaping of global supply chainsGlobal policymakers at the meetings this week have been grappling with how to address supply chain disruptions that have led food prices to surge around the world.
India Inc rejigs supply chain models as Ukraine invasion, Chinese lockdowns disrupt working"There is this huge disruption in the global supply chain that has impacted many businesses, especially automobiles," said Sanjiv Mehta, the chairman of Hindustan Unilever, the country's biggest consumer goods company.
The next big trend in retail might be led by influencersWhen it comes to the expanding retail business, the world at large is probably on the verge of waking up to a new avenue which has the inherent capacity to assume a revolutionary scale in many countries.
Supply chain hurdles will outlast pandemic, White House saysWhite House economists analyzed the supply chain as part of the Economic Report of the President.
Global renewable power prices soar on heavy demand, chaotic supply chainEconomic, logistical and labor market disruptions during the coronavirus pandemic have worsened since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, reversing a decade of cost declines for the renewable energy sector.
IMF warns reshoring production won't help supply chainsThe pandemic shuttered businesses worldwide, but when diminishing cases and widespread availability of vaccines allowed economies to reopen, many industries, notably auto manufacturers, found they could not keep up with rebounding demand due to a global shortage of semiconductors and other items.
India forum holds 'substantial promise' to expand trade, reduce barriers: USTRThe meeting came a day after President Joe Biden told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that buying more oil from Russia was not in India's interest and could hamper the U.S. response to the war in Ukraine.
O4S to upgrade its tech stack with AI, Machine Learning to solve supply chain issuesThe O4S SaaS platform enables visibility and traceability for every SKU/Product manufactured and along the entire supply chain flow.
Sustainability-based initiatives are a challenge for most companies: Chakri Gottemukkala, CEO of O9 Solutions"Supply chains are the biggest utilisers of the planet's resources," said Chakri Gottemukkala, who is also a cofounder of O9 Solutions. "When you're making stuff, moving stuff across the continents or tracking things, if you make all those decisions better, you cut down the wastages and improve the efficiencies of how resources are used."
Maersk launches air cargo in response to customers needsThe new air freight company is the result of the existing in-house aircraft operator, Star Air, which has transferred activities into Maersk Air Cargo, the new carrier supporting existing and new customers and Maersk’s end to end logistics.
Global supply lines brace for ‘menacing’ economic storm to widenFears are now rising about food shortages. The cost of living is rising in rich and poor regions alike. Soaring energy prices are spawning street protests from Albania to the U.K.
Gold industry banking on blockchain to help secure its supply chainLondon Bullion Market Association and the World Gold Council are developing a digital system to track gold through the supply chain, the organisations said in a joint statement on Monday. Using a blockchain-backed ledger, the Gold Bar Integrity Programme will capture the transaction history of bullion from mine to vault, they said.
China-Europe rail routes become supply chain’s latest problemThe conflict is adding to congestion at some of the biggest ports, putting further pressure on global supply chains that are still reeling from pandemic-induced manpower shortages.
Supply chain crisis, war, making chip situation worseThere is no country that can be said to be self-sufficient in the semiconductor value chain which is dispersed across a few locations.
India and US to collaborate on building resilient supply chains: USTR reportAs part of its efforts to address the global supply chain crisis, the Joe Biden administration plans to collaborate with India on building resilient supply chains and promote a transparent rules-based trading system for market economies and democracies, the US Trade Representative has told Congress.
Top 5 trends in supply chain management to look out for in 2022As we complete a month and half into the new year, here are a few trends that could build a more resilient and optimised supply chain going forward in 2022.Load More
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Buybacks have gotten a bad rap from both Republicans and Democrats. But stocks would be trading at a massive discount without them.Marketsread more
Fiat Chrysler and France's Renault could soon partner up to take on the sweeping changes to the global auto industry, according to a report in the Financial Times. The...Autosread more
Microsoft shares have gained 133% since November 2015, outperforming a tech "basket of unicorns" over that stretch.Technologyread more
The president's state visit comes amid tensions with carmaker Toyota over potential auto tariffs. Trump has repeatedly threatened Japanese and European carmakers with tariffs.Traderead more
The IRS is about to release a new draft of Form W-4, which will more closely reflect the changes stemming from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. For workers, that means they'll need...Personal Financeread more
When commercial real estate investor Manny Khoshbin spent $2.2 million on the fastest production car in the world, he had no idea it would very quickly also become the...Autosread more
The Mega Millions jackpot has spilled over $400 million. It would be the ninth largest winning since the game began in 2002.Personal Financeread more
Trump was speaking at a meeting of Japanese business leaders in Tokyo during his state visit to Japan on Saturday.Marketsread more
The biggest U.S. gasoline price surge in years is running out of steam just in time for the start of the summer driving season.Energyread more
The federal minimum wage has remained $7.25 per hour since 2009. But several states, and even some companies, have since taken matters into their own hands to pay employees a...Workread more
Stocks rose on Friday, but notched weekly losses as investors worried the U.S.-China trade war is hurting economic growth.US Marketsread more
Carlos Ghosn's abrupt fall as head of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance leaves a leadership void in the auto industry that's still reeling from the unexpected death of Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne.
The sector lost its two most charismatic and effective leaders in the space of a few months, industry analysts say.
"Mr. Ghosn is a giant not only in the automotive industry, but on the global business stage as well," said Autotrader analyst Michelle Krebs. "He was always at Davos and he was kind of a sage when it came to bigger economic and business issues. He was provocative, outspoken."
Ghosn's arrest by Japanese police in Tokyo on Monday shocked the auto world. He's been accused of underreporting his income to Japanese regulators and misusing company funds, Nissan and Mitsubishi both said.
Nissan executives said Monday that they will seek Ghosn's removal from his roles as chairman of Nissan and as chairman and CEO of the alliance. Mitsubishi said it plans to also remove him from its board.
The allegations of misconduct could bring Ghosn's career to an abrupt end, closing a chapter in an industry he played such a significant role in reshaping.
"He was an asset in navigating globalized markets and that has been so hard for the industry to adapt to," said Jeremy Acevedo, manager of data strategy for Edmunds, which provides information on cars and the auto industry. "Then you factor in Nissan's woes here in the U.S., they can definitely use a dose of his bold decision-making and nose for the future. So really this is coming at a terrible time."
Ghosn was known for his larger-than-life personality and for his tireless work schedule shuttling across the world to manage several automotive businesses across different continents. He was also credited with having a global vision and the ability to see possibilities other executives missed.
Many people thought the 1999 strategic alliance between French automaker Renault and Japanese company Nissan, a deal he engineered, was preposterous and doomed to fail.
Turning around Nissan made Ghosn something of a hero in Japan: there have been dishes at restaurants named after him and a Japanese comic book about his life.
"If you have not been a villain at a certain point in time, you will never be a hero," he said when asked about the book. "And the day you are a hero, you may become a villain the next day."
He was also known for his bold bet on electric vehicles, exemplified by Nissan's low-cost and well-known electric Leaf sedan. In 2017, he said he thought Nissan was probably the only automaker that was making money off the fledgling powertrain technology.
Ghosn's personality, work ethic and preference for swift-direct action has earned him comparisons to the late Fiat-Chrysler CEO Marchionne. The chain-smoking, espresso swilling and blunt-tongued executive unexpectedly died earlier this year, sending shockwaves through the industry.
While there are some differences between the two executives, they both shared a few common traits.
"You have these firebrands that are at the helm, and their tenures have been marked by really bold decision-making, and it has come bundled with really big personalities," Acevedo said.
Like Ghosn, Marchionne was known for being a tirelessly hard worker who slept on flights from one office to another. He also had to intregrate auto brands that spanned continents and entirely different cultures. As Ghosn is credited with breathing new life into Renault and Nissan, Marchionne was credited with saving Chrysler after the company declared bankruptcy during the financial crisis in 2009.
"There are shades of Marchionne here," Krebs said.
"We have lost the two most provocative, vocal, big personality individuals in the auto industry, apart from Elon Musk, who still has to prove himself," she said. "They don't make them like that anymore."


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By Jade Moldae, Editor of Shooting Industry
Consumers Prepping For Extended Stay At Home
I’m not one to write in hyperbole, but in the span of just a few days life has fundamentally changed for millions of Americans grappling with the effects of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Sporting events, concerts, church services, schools — even bars, restaurants and theatres, in some states — have been cancelled or temporarily closed. Panic-buying is in full force: Grocery stores across the country have experienced widespread shortages in food, water, toilet paper, hand sanitizer and other essentials. Daily briefings from the White House, like President Trump’s March 16 announcement to avoid groups of 10 or more for the next 15 days, are being closely monitored by every industry.
The fear of the coronavirus’ spread has hit the shooting, outdoor and hunting industry, as well. In late February, IWA announced its OutdoorClassics event (held in Nuremburg, Germany) had been postponed from its original March date to early September. In the last week, industry events stateside have been cancelled or postponed — namely, the NRA Annual Meeting (cancelled) and NSSF Congressional Fly-In (postponed). Other regional events critical for industry business have faced similar outcomes, or transitioned to “virtual-only” venues.
View From The Frontlines
On the industry’s frontlines — brick-and-mortar dealers and range facilities — a modest sampling confirms business is indeed on the upswing.
Clay Ausley, owner of Fuquay Gun in Fuquay-Varina, N.C, said January and February were record-breaking months at his store and sales have been further fueled by coronavirus concerns.
“At Fuquay, we’ve been seeing an uptick in business for all of 2020 so far,” he shared. “Coronavirus is hitting hard now, and many are prepping for an extended stay at home. Every good prepper needs plenty of arms and ammunition; we’ve tried to prepare for this by stockpiling ammo — however most shops around us are already running out, and it’s running down our supply quickly.”
Joe Kriz, FMG Publications’ digital content editor and retail associate for Bristlecone Shooting Training & Retail Center in Lakewood, Colo., witnessed a significant influx in sales over the weekend.
“We likely sold more guns in the past three days than we did during our Black Friday sale and GLOCK Days,” he reported. “We’re also low on ammo, as are most gun stores and big-box stores; we’ve resorted to rationing ammo on both retail and the range. The Colorado NICS is slammed with background checks — more than 3,000 of them — and customers are having to wait more than 24 hours to clear. For context, it was just over 100, typically a “bad” day, last Wednesday.”
“With the developments of COVID-19, we’re seeing an uncommon multi-racial consumption on our sales floor and on the range.”
At the Georgia Gun Club in Buford, Ga., General Manager Beth Martin has observed a noticeable shift in customer demographics visiting the store and range over the past week.
“Our first quarter was already shaping up to be a 25% increase for us,” she shared. “With the developments of COVID-19, we’re seeing an uncommon multi-racial consumption on our sales floor and on the range.”
Skyler Thomas, manager of Virginia Beach, Va.-based Freedom Shooting Center echoed the observations from the other stores interviewed here.
“We’re experiencing a significant spike in sales across multiple categories, but specifically ammunition and firearms. We’ve also implemented additional precautions to maintain a sanitary environment, and have advised our team to remain home if they don’t feel well,” he added. “It appears some supply-chain constraints will impact our industry as a whole, but we remain focused on providing the ultimate customer experience for our members and guests at Freedom Shooting Center.
Coverage Intensifies In News Media
Major news outlets have also reported on the recent surge in firearms and ammunition buying. They’ve generated headlines like “It’s not just toilet paper: People line up to buy guns, ammo over coronavirus concerns” (USA Today) and “For Some Buyers With Virus Fears, the Priority Isn’t Toilet Paper. It’s Guns.” (The New York Times).
First-time gun buyers were quoted in both articles, citing potential public safety concerns as a primary motivation for buying. There have also been reports of a rise in firearms ownership among Asian Americans, who have been targeted in hate crimes in response to the virus that was first detected in Wuhan, China, late last year.
There are certainly more questions than answers at this point, especially as the fear of contamination and social distancing may threaten in-store traffic. However, in the short term, this buying surge equates to increased profits for dealers. Once things are “back to normal” — hopefully sooner than later — dealers will have an entirely new population of customers to reengage through safety classes, self-defense seminars and other outreach events.
Do These 3 Things
In the interim, make sure you capture email addresses, inform customers how your store is uniquely equipped to meet their needs in this time of uncertainty and have hand-sanitizing stations ready! A little something to keep in mind as we navigate through these turbulent times, together — take it one day at a time.
How is the outbreak of the coronavirus impacting your business? We want to hear from you. Contact me direct: firstname.lastname@example.org


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The luxury car maker Aston Martin has launched a new phone – the Mobiado Grand Touch. The phone is basically a re-designed Galaxy Nexus phone with a lot of bells and whistles. The phone runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The phone will be available in 5 colours – black, white, silver, gold, and rose gold (the pink edition).
Let us take a look at the specs and features of the Aston Martin Grand Touch Luxury smart phone:
- A 3.2 inch HVGA display
- Powered by a 800MHz single-core processor
- Has a 5MP rear camera, VGA front-facing camera
- 256MB of RAM, 512MB of ROM (internal storage)
- Support for 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS , and MicroSD card support
- Runs on Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread
The Aston Martin android phone is, as expected, priced very highly and retails for US $1,290 (Approx. Rs. 69,500 in Indian Currency). The gold editions of the phone sell for US $1,590 (Approx. Rs. 86,650 in Indian Currency). The phone comes in a retail leather box that has a pair of Aston Martin headphones and also two spare 1500 mAh batteries.


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DAILY BRIEFING: US cement maker Summit Materials muscles in on CRH's £2.7bn bid for Ash Grove Cement
BID BATTLE US cement maker Summit Materials has muscled in on Irish building materials firm CRH's £2.7billion bid for Ash Grove Cement.
The rival bid values the company at up to £2.9billion and could result in CRH's offer being increased, Kansas-based Ash Grove announced yesterday.
SKY VOTE Asset manager Royal London will vote against James Murdoch's re-election as chairman of Sky on Thursday, it confirmed yesterday.
The group, which holds an 0.3 per cent stake in Sky worth about £44million, said Murdoch's position was 'inappropriate' because he is also chief executive of 21st Century Fox – which is trying to buy Sky.
COFFEE BOOST After securing a £2million investment from private equity group Jaguar Alternatives, EasyCoffee is ramping up its store expansion programme.
The firm – part of EasyGroup – will be spend the funds on building its largest store to date in The Priory Shopping Centre in Dartford, Kent.
CASH BASHED Britain will be a cashless society by 2043, according to a survey from gambling firm Gala Casino.
It contradicts the view of the Bank of England's chief cashier Victoria Cleland, who earlier this week said: 'Cash is not in decline'.
IRISH TIES The City of London's Lord Mayor Andrew Parmley is visiting Dublin on Monday to boost ties with the Irish banking sector.
He is due to meet several top politicians and businessmen in the nation, which trades £1billion a week with Britain.
FAST THREAT Ultra-fast traders and robots could have unpredictable effects that crash the markets, a Bank of England boss has warned.
Markets director Chris Salmon said that the 'flash crash' in the pound a year ago, where sterling plunged almost 10 per cent against the dollar in seconds before rapidly recovering, showed the dangers of automated computer trading.
BROKEN TRUST The Bank of England's chief economist Andy Haldane has said the Old Lady may never regain shattered public trust due to the financial crisis.
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|By Business Wire||
|February 9, 2014 03:00 PM EST||
Today marks the opening of the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s (IAB) 2014 Annual Leadership Meeting, which has brought together more than 1,000 digital advertising leaders at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA, to address the year’s theme: “Marketing 2020: The Digital Agenda.” Sold out for the seventh year in a row, with the biggest attendance in the event’s history, the conference features a prestigious lineup of speakers who will discuss and debate issues related to the constantly shifting nature of the digital advertising industry – all with the goal of building a profitable future for marketing and media.
"This year's Annual Leadership Meeting is focused on removing the roadblocks that prevent digital media from reaching their full potential," said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO, IAB. "We'll be tackling the biggest issues we face: fraudulent traffic, consumer privacy, data security, IP theft, mobile monetization, measurement standardization and much more. This three-day meeting gives us the chance to address these topics, learning from both speakers on-stage and from each other in dynamic Town Hall sessions. We take these conversations seriously because at some point soon digital media will be the largest advertising segment in the U.S., and our businesses will be dependent on interactive to drive new revenue and opportunity."
Nick D’Aloisio, founder of Summly, a next-generation newsfeed app, will give the opening keynote presentation on Sunday, February 9. Summly was acquired by Yahoo! last year, and D’Aloisio currently serves as a member of the Yahoo! mobile engineering team, helping to re-imagining the company’s core experiences for mobile and tablets. In addition to D’Aloisio, numerous industry luminaries and thought leaders will be featured on the conference mainstage, including:
- Neil Ashe, President & Chief Executive Officer, Global eCommerce, Walmart, with Stephen Quinn, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Walmart
- Spencer Baim, Chief Strategic Officer, VICE Media
- Brian Boland, Vice President, Ad Products, Monetization and Atlas, Facebook
- Andrew Creighton, President, VICE Media
- Dr. Jeff Eisenach, Senior Vice President, Global Energy, Environment and Network Industries Practice, NERA
- Dan Greenberg, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, Sharethrough
- Jack Haber, Vice President, Global Advertising & Digital, CP Colgate-Palmolive Company
- Darren Herman, Vice President, Content Services, Mozilla
- Terence Kawaja, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, LUMA Partners
- Meredith Levien, Executive Vice President of Advertising, The New York Times Co.
- Ann Lewnes, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, Adobe Systems Incorporated
- Bob Liodice, President and Chief Executive Officer, Association of National Advertisers
- Lou Mastria, Managing Director, Digital Advertising Alliance
- Neal Mohan, Vice President, Display Advertising, Google
- Jamie Moldafsky, Chief Marketing Officer, Wells Fargo
- Mike Perlis, President and Chief Executive Officer, Forbes Media
- Tom Phillips, Chief Executive Officer, Dstillery
- Guy Phillipson, Chief Executive Officer, IAB UK
- Bob Pittman, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Clear Channel
Other digital marketing influencers will also speak and lead discussions at the event:
- Kristi Argyilan, President, MAGNA Global North America, Mediabrands
- John Battelle, Executive Chair, sovrn Holdings Inc. & Founder, Federated Media
- David Cohen, Chief Investment Officer, UM & President Global Partnerships, MAGNA Global
- James Deaker, Vice President, Revenue Management, Privacy and Policy, Yahoo
- Quentin George, Co-Founder & Principal, \UNBOUND\
- Gabe Gottlieb, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Adomic
- Mark Howard, Chief Revenue Officer, Forbes Media
- Jane Schachtel, Global Head of Technology & Telecom Strategy, Facebook
- Cary Tilds, Chief Innovation Officer, GroupM
The IAB will post highlight videos from the event’s presentations for those who are unable to attend. For more information, visit iab.net/alm.
About the IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 600 leading media and technology companies that are responsible for selling 86% of online advertising in the United States. On behalf of its members, the IAB is dedicated to the growth of the interactive advertising marketplace, of interactive’s share of total marketing spend, and of its members’ share of total marketing spend. The IAB educates marketers, agencies, media companies and the wider business community about the value of interactive advertising. Working with its member companies, the IAB evaluates and recommends standards and practices and fields critical research on interactive advertising. Founded in 1996, the IAB is headquartered in New York City with a Public Policy office in Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit iab.net.
@ThingsExpo has been named the Top 5 Most Influential Internet of Things Brand by Onalytica in the ‘The Internet of Things Landscape 2015: Top 100 Individuals and Brands.' Onalytica analyzed Twitter conversations around the #IoT debate to uncover the most influential brands and individuals driving the conversation. Onalytica captured data from 56,224 users. The PageRank based methodology they use to extract influencers on a particular topic (tweets mentioning #InternetofThings or #IoT in this ...
Oct. 23, 2016 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 8,327
@ThingsExpo has been named the Top 5 Most Influential M2M Brand by Onalytica in the ‘Machine to Machine: Top 100 Influencers and Brands.' Onalytica analyzed the online debate on M2M by looking at over 85,000 tweets to provide the most influential individuals and brands that drive the discussion. According to Onalytica the "analysis showed a very engaged community with a lot of interactive tweets. The M2M discussion seems to be more fragmented and driven by some of the major brands present in the...
Oct. 23, 2016 11:30 AM EDT Reads: 11,309
In the next forty months – just over three years – businesses will undergo extraordinary changes. The exponential growth of digitization and machine learning will see a step function change in how businesses create value, satisfy customers, and outperform their competition. In the next forty months companies will take the actions that will see them get to the next level of the game called Capitalism. Or they won’t – game over. The winners of today and tomorrow think differently, follow different...
Oct. 23, 2016 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 925
In an era of historic innovation fueled by unprecedented access to data and technology, the low cost and risk of entering new markets has leveled the playing field for business. Today, any ambitious innovator can easily introduce a new application or product that can reinvent business models and transform the client experience. In their Day 2 Keynote at 19th Cloud Expo, Mercer Rowe, IBM Vice President of Strategic Alliances, and Raejeanne Skillern, Intel Vice President of Data Center Group and ...
Oct. 23, 2016 10:30 AM EDT Reads: 1,446
More and more brands have jumped on the IoT bandwagon. We have an excess of wearables – activity trackers, smartwatches, smart glasses and sneakers, and more that track seemingly endless datapoints. However, most consumers have no idea what “IoT” means. Creating more wearables that track data shouldn't be the aim of brands; delivering meaningful, tangible relevance to their users should be. We're in a period in which the IoT pendulum is still swinging. Initially, it swung toward "smart for smar...
Oct. 23, 2016 09:45 AM EDT Reads: 784
Virgil consists of an open-source encryption library, which implements Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS) and Elliptic Curve Integrated Encryption Scheme (ECIES) (including RSA schema), a Key Management API, and a cloud-based Key Management Service (Virgil Keys). The Virgil Keys Service consists of a public key service and a private key escrow service.
Oct. 23, 2016 09:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,013
The Internet of Things (IoT), in all its myriad manifestations, has great potential. Much of that potential comes from the evolving data management and analytic (DMA) technologies and processes that allow us to gain insight from all of the IoT data that can be generated and gathered. This potential may never be met as those data sets are tied to specific industry verticals and single markets, with no clear way to use IoT data and sensor analytics to fulfill the hype being given the IoT today.
Oct. 23, 2016 09:45 AM EDT Reads: 2,488
Data is the fuel that drives the machine learning algorithmic engines and ultimately provides the business value. In his session at Cloud Expo, Ed Featherston, a director and senior enterprise architect at Collaborative Consulting, will discuss the key considerations around quality, volume, timeliness, and pedigree that must be dealt with in order to properly fuel that engine.
Oct. 23, 2016 09:30 AM EDT Reads: 3,811
What happens when the different parts of a vehicle become smarter than the vehicle itself? As we move toward the era of smart everything, hundreds of entities in a vehicle that communicate with each other, the vehicle and external systems create a need for identity orchestration so that all entities work as a conglomerate. Much like an orchestra without a conductor, without the ability to secure, control, and connect the link between a vehicle’s head unit, devices, and systems and to manage the ...
Oct. 23, 2016 08:30 AM EDT Reads: 1,337
The best way to leverage your Cloud Expo presence as a sponsor and exhibitor is to plan your news announcements around our events. The press covering Cloud Expo and @ThingsExpo will have access to these releases and will amplify your news announcements. More than two dozen Cloud companies either set deals at our shows or have announced their mergers and acquisitions at Cloud Expo. Product announcements during our show provide your company with the most reach through our targeted audiences.
Oct. 23, 2016 08:15 AM EDT Reads: 4,433
Machine Learning helps make complex systems more efficient. By applying advanced Machine Learning techniques such as Cognitive Fingerprinting, wind project operators can utilize these tools to learn from collected data, detect regular patterns, and optimize their own operations. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Stuart Gillen, Director of Business Development at SparkCognition, discussed how research has demonstrated the value of Machine Learning in delivering next generation analytics to impr...
Oct. 23, 2016 08:00 AM EDT Reads: 5,676
For basic one-to-one voice or video calling solutions, WebRTC has proven to be a very powerful technology. Although WebRTC’s core functionality is to provide secure, real-time p2p media streaming, leveraging native platform features and server-side components brings up new communication capabilities for web and native mobile applications, allowing for advanced multi-user use cases such as video broadcasting, conferencing, and media recording.
Oct. 23, 2016 07:00 AM EDT Reads: 4,104
Amazon has gradually rolled out parts of its IoT offerings, but these are just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to optimizing their backend AWS offerings, Amazon is laying the ground work to be a major force in IoT - especially in the connected home and office. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Chris Kocher, founder and managing director of Grey Heron, explained how Amazon is extending its reach to become a major force in IoT by building on its dominant cloud IoT platform, its Dash Button strat...
Oct. 23, 2016 06:30 AM EDT Reads: 4,747
SYS-CON Events announced today that SoftNet Solutions will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. SoftNet Solutions specializes in Enterprise Solutions for Hadoop and Big Data. It offers customers the most open, robust, and value-conscious portfolio of solutions, services, and tools for the shortest route to success with Big Data. The unique differentiator is the ability to architect and ...
Oct. 23, 2016 06:00 AM EDT Reads: 703
A critical component of any IoT project is what to do with all the data being generated. This data needs to be captured, processed, structured, and stored in a way to facilitate different kinds of queries. Traditional data warehouse and analytical systems are mature technologies that can be used to handle certain kinds of queries, but they are not always well suited to many problems, particularly when there is a need for real-time insights.
Oct. 23, 2016 05:30 AM EDT Reads: 3,925
DevOps is being widely accepted (if not fully adopted) as essential in enterprise IT. But as Enterprise DevOps gains maturity, expands scope, and increases velocity, the need for data-driven decisions across teams becomes more acute. DevOps teams in any modern business must wrangle the ‘digital exhaust’ from the delivery toolchain, "pervasive" and "cognitive" computing, APIs and services, mobile devices and applications, the Internet of Things, and now even blockchain. In this power panel at @...
Oct. 23, 2016 05:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,837
One of biggest questions about Big Data is “How do we harness all that information for business use quickly and effectively?” Geographic Information Systems (GIS) or spatial technology is about more than making maps, but adding critical context and meaning to data of all types, coming from all different channels – even sensors. In his session at @ThingsExpo, William (Bill) Meehan, director of utility solutions for Esri, will take a closer look at the current state of spatial technology and ar...
Oct. 23, 2016 03:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,698
Everyone knows that truly innovative companies learn as they go along, pushing boundaries in response to market changes and demands. What's more of a mystery is how to balance innovation on a fresh platform built from scratch with the legacy tech stack, product suite and customers that continue to serve as the business' foundation. In his General Session at 19th Cloud Expo, Michael Chambliss, Head of Engineering at ReadyTalk, will discuss why and how ReadyTalk diverted from healthy revenue an...
Oct. 23, 2016 03:30 AM EDT Reads: 2,955
SYS-CON Events announced today that Streamlyzer will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Streamlyzer is a powerful analytics for video streaming service that enables video streaming providers to monitor and analyze QoE (Quality-of-Experience) from end-user devices in real time.
Oct. 23, 2016 02:30 AM EDT Reads: 943
You have great SaaS business app ideas. You want to turn your idea quickly into a functional and engaging proof of concept. You need to be able to modify it to meet customers' needs, and you need to deliver a complete and secure SaaS application. How could you achieve all the above and yet avoid unforeseen IT requirements that add unnecessary cost and complexity? You also want your app to be responsive in any device at any time. In his session at 19th Cloud Expo, Mark Allen, General Manager of...
Oct. 23, 2016 02:30 AM EDT Reads: 853


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Dhiraagu replaces the NFC stickers for DhiraaguPay with Debit Cards for DhiraaguPay services provided to students at Ghiyaasuddin International School.
DhiraaguPay service was introduced to the students during January 2018. Debit cards are personalized including the student photo, index and name. Students can make payments by tapping the card on POS terminal at GIS canteen. This card can also be used in any dhiraagu pay touch point. This is the very first time such a card has been issued to students in Maldives and the card will be linked to the parents wallets.
Dhiraagu has also introduced a special promotion for all students who use DhiraaguPay to purchase their meals at the school canteen – a 50 percent discount is applicable all throughout the week.
Like the NFC sticker, the debit card is also linked to the parents’ e-wallet. Parents can monitor the purchases made by the students. Dhiraagu has received immense support from the parents as well as the students as DhiraaguPay allows them to purchase their interval without having to take physical monies with them to school.
Dhiraagu is planning on extending this service to other schools as well.


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www.si.com Dikembe Mutombo twice won the NBA’s J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award during his playing days. Recently, he has launched with Robert C. Bush Jr., a line of African coffee roasts with a focus on closing the gender gap in the coffee industry.
Bloomberg Quicktake’s Vanessa Perdomo speaks to Dikembe Mutombo and Cajary Majlis’ President & CEO Robert C. Bush Jr. who explain the company’s strategic approach to investing in Africa’s coffee supply chain.
On a new addition of “Give Them Their Roses”, Shaq, Candace, D-Wade and Lefkoe share some of their favorite basketball memories of Dikembe Mutombo and discuss the recent launch of his Mutombo Coffee brand.
Cajary Majlis will make use of the DMCC Coffee Centre, a 15,000 sq/m temperature-controlled facility, to bring coffee from Mutombo’s home country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and across Africa, to Dubai and beyond.
www.casualhoya.com Georgetown legend, NBA Hall of Famer and Global Humanitarian Dikembe Mutombo has launched Mutombo Coffee! Check out this short clip, and stay tuned for more exciting news about Mutombo Coffee
www.comunicaffe.com DUBAI, UAE – DMCC – the world’s flagship Free Zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and enterprise – has welcomed Cajary Majlis, an international trader and distributor of food products


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Air Canada Stock – Forward Air (FWRD) to Release Earnings on Thursday
Forward Air (NASDAQ:FWRD) is scheduled to be posting its quarterly earnings results after the market closes on Thursday, April 29th. Analysts expect Forward Air to post earnings of $0.60 per share for the quarter. Individual interested in participating in the company’s earnings conference call can do so using this link.
Forward Air (NASDAQ:FWRD) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 10th. The transportation company reported ($0.17) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.73 by ($0.90). Forward Air had a return on equity of 10.39% and a net margin of 3.91%. The firm had revenue of $350.34 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $417.75 million. On average, analysts expect Forward Air to post $2 EPS for the current fiscal year and $3 EPS for the next fiscal year.
Shares of NASDAQ:FWRD opened at $87.20 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.50, a current ratio of 1.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21. Forward Air has a twelve month low of $40.75 and a twelve month high of $93.53. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $89.12 and its 200-day moving average is $77.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.88 and a beta of 1.15.
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 19th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 4th were given a dividend of $0.21 per share. This represents a $0.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.96%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, March 3rd. Forward Air’s payout ratio is 27.63%.
FWRD has been the topic of a number of research reports. Raymond James upped their target price on Forward Air from $95.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Wolfe Research raised Forward Air from a “peer perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $101.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, February 16th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research lowered Forward Air from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, March 5th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. The company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $82.20.
Forward Air Company Profile
Forward Air Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an asset-light freight and logistics company in the United States and Canada. The company operates through two segments, Expedited Freight and Intermodal. The Expedited Freight segment provides expedited regional, inter-regional, and national less-than-truckload services; local pick-up and delivery services; and other services, which include final mile, truckload, shipment consolidation and deconsolidation, warehousing, customs brokerage, and other handling.
See Also: CBOE Russell 2000® Volatility Index
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate reporting. This story was reviewed by MarketBeat’s editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected]
Featured Article: What is a front-end load?
7 Semiconductor Stocks Set to Gain From the Chip Shortage
Who knew that something so tiny could create such a big problem? However, that’s the case with the semiconductor industry. Chip manufacturers are facing supply chain disruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Semiconductors are in high demand for the big tech companies who need the chips to power the servers for their data centers. But they are also needed for much of the technology we take for granted including laptops, tablets, mobile phones, gaming consoles, and automobiles – a sector that seems to be at the root of the current crisis.
Any weekend mechanic knows that even traditional internal combustion cars are heavily reliant on electronics. In fact, electronic parts and components account for 40% of a new, internal combustion vehicle. That’s more than doubled since 2000.
However as it turns out, some manufacturers may have overestimated how soon consumers would be ready for an “all-electric” future. And that meant that they didn’t forecast how much demand there would be for the kind of chips needed to do the mundane, but vital tasks of steering, braking, and even powering windows up and down.
Part of the problem is that U.S. businesses are heavily reliant on countries like China and Taiwan for their semiconductors. In fact, only about 12.5% of semiconductor manufacturing is done in the United States.
Of course, this creates a tremendous opportunity for the companies that manufacture these chips. And it comes at a good time. The semiconductor sector is notoriously cyclical and was coming down from the elevated demand for the 5G buildout.
In this special presentation, we’ll give you a list of seven semiconductor companies that you can invest in to take advantage of this opportunity.
View the “7 Semiconductor Stocks Set to Gain From the Chip Shortage”.


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Mubatsi Asinja Habati
Hiked commodity prices have made accessibility of certain essential goods difficult not only to the poor urban folks but also campusers.
Many students at Makerere University now survive on a single meal in a day. " I now spend 1000 Uganda shillings to get my supper yet the quantity has greatly reduced. Previously 600 shillings would enable me get enough food for my appetite" A second year Bachelor of social sciences said.
"We are finished! Many of us cannot afford decent meals given the increased food prices in the country." Fred Kwesiga, a civil engineering student at Makerere lamented.
For the last two months commodity prices have caused so much worry among Ugandan population and university students. Those people hailing from families with little incomes are the most affected by skyrocketing commodity prices.
Consequently, many individuals have had to cut down on their budgets in order to fit in the high cost of living in Urban areas. Many students interviewed said that they now wish that the semester ends in miracle now so that they can go home in an attempt to avoid the soaring effects of price hikes. "At home I hope one can survive touching empty pockets to buy food," Agartha Mukibi, a Mass Comunication student, said.
Makerere's Halls of residence have not been spared by consequences of high food and commodity prices either. Most of the Halls have run short of food supplies; forcing them to change the menu they offer to students.
In University Hall (UH), for instance, residents have spent the whole of this week without taking milk during breakfast and no posho at lunch and supper time.
Circulars announcing the changes and shortages of usual food rations have been displayed at Hall notice boards to alert students on what is going on.
"As you may know commodity prices have increased and we are unable to offer the usual menu. The University adiminstration is trying all it can to procure the required food. Please bear with us;" a circular at all Halls of residence notice boards, from the Dean of Students, read in part.
UH is probably the hardest hit hall by the purging food crisis at Makerere resulting from high market prices. For the last two weeks UH residents have been fed on rice and unfried beans.
The UH warden notified students that they were doing everything possible to avail all food on the menu and asked students to bear with the situation.
Students' leaders requested students to understand that increased food and other ommodity prices was a general problem countrywide and all over the world so they should remain calm as the University is at pains trying to arrest the situation.
Government sponsored non-resident students claimed they are facing it rough with soaring commodity prices especially food.
"The living-out allowances are peanut compared to the current market prices yet we are expected to survive on that same 340,000 Uganda shillings for accommodation and feeding throughout the semester. It is high time government revised this matter." Alice Nakiwala, a student at Faculty of Agriculture, said.
With increased prices of food and other essential goods, students from peasantry background are experiencing hard times in coping up. " Life is going on but not smoothly; and somehow we will survive." Stephen, a tourism student, said when asked his opinion about increased food prices.
Essential goods like soap, all food stuffs, fuel, sugar, and others are incessantly becoming out of access to the poor in urban centres like Kampala as a result of higher prices levied on them. People are calling on government to intervene.
Food prices have more than doubled their normal prices in last six weeks. Experts say the increment is likely to go on for longer. This has sparked off fear of famine as a score of people have died in Karamoja and others have resorted to eating rodents like rats due to lack of foood.


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2017 Nissan Micra Takes Over From Nissan Note
We may be about to see the 2017 Nissan Micra make an arrival in the US sooner than thought and when it does it will take over from the Nissan Note.
A report now says that perhaps Nissan might take on the two birds with one stone and we could see the Nissan Micra, which is a small hatchback, not previously seen on the roads in the US, arrive there. The Note MVP is going to be discontinued and we know this as the Versa Note.
The 2017 Nissan Micra is going to be a size that is similar to the Note, but the Note has seen a drop in sales during the last few years.
So it is looking as though the Nissan Micra will be entering into the supermini market in the US, but then it will take time before this happens. Around 16% of vehicles sold in the US from Nissan have been the Nissan Note but now it might be time for the Micra to take over.


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Ethereum.com is listed for sale on a marketplace called Uniregistry Market for about $10 million
Crypto market is the biggest buzz word in the online world, every one is talking about it, according to google trends, Cryptocurrencies topping the list of search traffic, everyone wants to know about it, with that much traffic demand for premium domain names in the crypto world also increased. According to the latest news in the market, Bloomberg mentioned that Ethereum.com is listed for sale on a marketplace called Uniregistry Market for about $10 million. In October, eth.com sold for $2 million — possibly the highest price for a crypto-related monikers, according to Domain Name Journal. Many of the sites with names referencing bitcoin and ether, the two biggest digital currencies, could have been registered for as little as $10 not too long ago.
The unfettered euphoria I see around bitcoin/cryptocurrency/blockchain reminds me a lot of the atmosphere I saw in the period preceding the dotcom bust around 2001,” said Ron Jackson, editor and publisher of Domain Name Journal. “However, dotcoms came back and had bigger years than ever in the mid 2000s, so even a bursting bubble isn’t necessarily a final death knell for a given asset.”
The number of cryptocurrency-related domain-name sales in the $1,000 range and up has already reached into several hundred this year, up from only a few dozen last year. Cryptonews.com sold for $50,536 in August, while cryptobank.com netted $125,000 in April. Bitcoincash.org sold for $48,888 in July and bitcoin.casino sold for $28,000 in March, Jackson said.
Crypto related domain names ae on the rise these days, as demand for these domain names increasing by the day because investors sees value in the domain names, with heavy online traffic and market buzz they can make good return on their investments.
Is Toronto Next to Accept Bitcoin for Property Taxes?
Toronto is the biggest city of Canada with a population of more than 6 million. It’s also one of the leading global financial centers which makes it an attractive place for investors.
Bitcoin has emerged as the leading cryptocurrency in the world and attracted a lot of attention from financial investors. There are many crypto exchanges and investors in Toronto, which makes it an important destination for crypto startups and investors.
Recently, there has been a surge in usage of Bitcoin in the Real Estate world as lot of companies around the world are now accepting Bitcoin for buying and selling of properties. In April 2019, Innisfil, A town located in Ontario, at a distance of about 1 hour drive from Toronto, announced that they will accept Bitcoin for property taxes at the municipal level. In July this year, Richmond Hill announced that they are ready to accept Bitcoin as a payment method for property taxes.
Evan Kuhn, Co-Founder of a Toronto based crypto exchange Coinberry believes that integration of Bitcoin as a payment method for property taxes in Toronto can reduce cost, not only for tax payers, but for municipalities as well. Kuhn mentioned
“It doesn’t cost homeowners to use the service, and it costs the municipalities far less in processing fees”
“A credit card company charges a 3% fee,” he said. “Our fee is .5%, so that’s a lot more beneficial for the municipalities.”
He further explained the entire process to make it simple for the users and for the authorities. “When a resident makes a payment through our exchange, the company immediately converts the Bitcoin into Canadian Dollars and pays the relevant authority, so in basic concept this entire process works like a credit card system but with lower fee for both parties”
Morning Crypto Roundup
- Crypto market entered into a consolidation phase, with market cap at around $265 billion, market is currently trading in a range
- Bitcoin stays above $10,000
- Gray scale reported in a recent report that there are 7.1 million active Bitcoin users worldwide with more than 32 million Bitcoin wallets.
- After Innisfil and Richmond Hills, is Toronto next to explore an opportunity to pay property taxes through Bitcoin?
- According to a report from CryptoCompare.com, Untrusted crypto exchanges are dominating the crypto volume with more than 2/3 share


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AirPods Pro and AirPods Max now feature new “Find My” features after Apple upgraded all AirPods models to firmware 4A400.
While Non-Pro and Non-Max do not seem to have received much of this update, the AirPods Pro now supports a feature called “Conversation Boost.”
With the new “Find My” features, AirPods Pro and Max will now be able to use the feature used by many iOS devices to locate lost AirTags. This means that in cases where users lose their headphones, other people’s iOS devices can find them nearby with their location, while simultaneously updating the lost device’s Find My App.
The firmware update also includes the AirPods Pro Conversation Boost, which provides room for more precise conversations while zeroing in on voices via the headphone’s radiation-forming microphones.
The feature should allow users to understand people who talk to them when they use their AirPods Pro, even if they are listening to music and are in a loud room.
To enable Conversation Boost, users are advised to access the Accessibility panel in the Settings app.
For more information, read the original story in Ars Technica.


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- Apple iPhone SE2 or iPhone 9 is expected to launch on April 15
- The starting price of the phone is likely to be around $399 (Rs. 30,000 approx)
- The phone is expected to run on Apple A13 Bionic chipset
The Apple iPhone SE 2 also known as iPhone 9 is expected to launch on April 15 and will go on sale from April 22. According to the reports, the phone was supposed to launch in March 2020 but got delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Reportedly, the starting price of the phone will be around $399 (Rs. 30,000 approx).
The iPhone SE2 or iPhone 9 is expected to run on Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+) chipset, paired with a 3GB ram. It may come in three storage variants- 64GB, 128GB, and 265GB. The phone is rumored to have a 4.7-inch HD Retina IPS LCD. The phone will also come with an IP67 rating and front-mounted fingerprint sensor. The build will be similar to the iPhone 8 with the home button, glass front, glass back, and an aluminum frame.
The phone will feature a single 12 MP f/1.8 camera with Dual-LED dual-tone flash, that will support 4K recording at 30fps, FHD recording at 30/60/120fps, and HD recording at 240fps. For selfies, it is expected to have 7 MP f/2.2 camera with Face detection, HDR, and panorama support. For connectivity, the device will support Bluetooth 5.0, dual-band Wi-Fi, GPS, and 4G LTE. The phone is expected to run iOS 13.4 out of the box.
There is also speculation about the name. The phone might be called iPhone SE2, iPhone 9, or maybe just iPhone SE (2020). There are also rumors that Apple will launch the iPhone 9 Plus variant, which will feature a 5.5-inch display.


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Aguadilla firm lifts off global powered foil board market
By John Weeks
Special to The Star
Nick Leason, co-founder of the Aguadilla-based battery-powered foil board company Lift – and arguably the founder of the sport itself – answered my early question with a sly smile. I had asked where his family business fits into the growing global market for this luxury watercraft that Lift calls an “eFoil.” The mechanical engineer and “waterman” allowed this: “Well, everyone wants to say they have the best design.”
Then he spoke to less debatable distinctions of their brand of watercraft designed to allow board and rider to “fly” above the water’s surface.
“We didn’t create a version,” Leason said. “We built the sport from scratch.”
Quantitative data supports the Puerto Rican firm’s claims.
“We presently have between 40%-60% of the global market,” Leason said.
In addition, Lift’s chief competitor pays royalties for patents on inventions that Leason and his team developed out of their shop.
Lift’s corporate journey began in 2010, shaping surfboards and competition paddle boards. Lift’s focus on building the seemingly gravity-defying product and the sport – Leason now likes to brand their products as “the world’s smallest personal watercraft” – began in 2015. Eight years in, the firm employs 60-70 people in their high season, the northern summer.
The jump into creating a new arm of the surfing industry proved a good bet. Lift’s sales have reached 12,000 units, with purchasers from 80 countries. Each unit retails for $9,000-$12,000. Total revenues have reached well over $100 million.
A family of entrepreneurs and ‘watermen’
Nick Leason represents a third generation of multiple entrepreneurial business investments here in Puerto Rico.
His paternal grandfather, Hayden Leason, moved most production for his Filter Tech medical supply business from Wisconsin to Maunabo and Patillas in the 1960s and 1970s. Michael Leason, Hayden’s son and Nick’s father, developed the Villa Montana community kitty corner across the island in Isabela. Lift was co-founded there by the father-son team in a shop on the family compound.
(In fact, Nick’s elder sister, Brooke Leason, ND, through whom I met the family a decade ago, is engaged in her own entrepreneurial work to provide new healthcare opportunities in San Juan.)
Nick Leason, whose early love of physics and mathematics led to pursuing a mechanical engineering degree, describes his enthusiasm: “This involved hydrodynamics, it was engineering, it was surfing, it was flying – it was like everything I love all in one package.”
That father and son are each acknowledged “watermen” for their abilities as big wave surfers, kite-boarders, and windsurfers has its advantages. They’ve drawn the attention of renowned surfers Laird Hamilton and Kai Lenny. Hamilton is now part of the Lift team. Another advantage: “My father is our main tester,” Nick said. “The Michael Leason ruggedness test is a high bar.”
Market expected to grow
Lift’s journey has been quite a wild ride. They’ve faced multiple technical challenges, some of which have led to 13 patents in the United States, Europe and China, that are listed on their website. Meantime they’ve confronted the considerable communications requirements to develop and serve a global clientele.
The elder Leason, in a text message, credited his son’s “talents and tenacity” for Lift’s growth and success to date.
“They have worked hard and created a new water sport in a relatively short time,” he said.
Nick Leason reflects: “We had to ramp up production and sales, doubling year after year,” he said. “I’d say we are completing stage one of market growth.”
The next stage is setting up as a classic movement from innovators and early adopters to a broader clientele. One sign of change: “Bigger players are getting into the business,” Leason said.
Brunswick, the largest pleasure boat company in the world, recently purchased Lift’s main competitor, the Australian firm Fliteboard.
“Sea Doo,” Leason adds, “says it’s coming out with a product next year.”
I asked Leason for pros and cons of Lift’s island location. His first response complimented his employee pool.
“The culture of the people here is key,” he said. “Puerto Ricans are very handy individuals. They’ve built houses, fixed cars, they’re savvy and humble.”
He also believes Lift’s location, basically on the beach, creates the right atmosphere.
“Clients connect with our geography,” Leason said. “It helps that most all of us here at Lift are avid users of what we are developing.”
Major downsides relate to limited transportation options for batteries and other key parts that come from off-island. Mailing out the assembled products is also expensive. According to Leason, Lift has the largest DHL account in Puerto Rico, and one of the largest in the southeast of the United States. And while certain tax benefits are helpful to the company’s competitive position, he finds some administrative processes can be grating.
The advent of major watercraft corporations and conglomerates certainly carves a new landscape for this second phase of Lift’s performance. A good sign this past year: Lift parried a move by its leading Chinese competitor, Waydoo, by filing and handily winning $1.3 million in royalties in a patent infringement case.
The biggest problem for the sport is “accessibility,” Leason says. A significant part of that is price. Lift is toward the high end among its competitors. Another relates to the vehicle an owner needs to get the powered foil to the beach. Here Lift shines, swapping time for assembly for ease of sliding the components into a compact car.
Might Lift make a similar choice as Fliteboard and sell? This is the moment for such a move for many start-ups.
Leason acknowledges that selling is not off the table. He wouldn’t share whether the firm is currently exploring any specific offers. Then he quickly added: “Whatever we do, I’m not going away. I’ll be building these watercraft and working on these problems for a long time, no matter what.”


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GovernmentCIO Magazine put together a list of “the coolest, futuristic or craziest tech” at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week. Hispanic Engineer took a second look at some of the smart assistants, autonomous vehicles, virtual reality, wearables and robots.
UBTECH is previewing the current phase of Walker, which will continue to be developed into 2018. This will include the addition of functional arms and a wide range of interactive control features. Once completed, Walker will join UBTECH’s leading range of life-enhancing humanoid robots.
Rokid released a pair of AR glasses called Rokid Glass, and a test version was at CES for all to see.Helicopter Air Taxi
Bell Helicopter made its debut as the first major helicopter manufacturer to exhibit at CES.The company revealed at CES 2018 its air taxi cabin design. The four-passenger cabin demonstrates Bell’s view of an on-demand mobility aircraft that focuses on a people-first engineered user experience tailored to an urban air taxi ride.
“Bell Helicopter is innovating at the limits of vertical flight and challenging the traditional notion of aviation to solve real-world problems,” stated Bell Helicopter’s President and CEO Mitch Snyder during the Las Vegas show. “The future of urban air taxi is closer than many people realize. We believe in the positive impact our design will have on addressing transportation concerns in cities worldwide.”
Mid-Air 3D Visuals with Holographic Effect
Hypervsn™ combines a smart Hypervsn™ management platform and a Hypervsn™ projection unit, a hi-tech hardware device generating stunning 3D visuals perceived by viewers as hi-resolution holograms floating in the mid-air.
L’Oreal UV Sense
L’Oréal UV Sense wearable has an accompanying mobile app, available for both iOS and Android, which translates and transfers data from the sensor. The app delivers information detailing when the wearer should be mindful of UV exposure. Data is included in the app that outlines a user’s exposure levels. Sun-safety habits – like spending time in the shade or reapplying sunscreen – are encouraged with facts about sun exposure and additional tips for protection.
Sgnl’s new way of telephoning offers a new lifestyle. Through BCU technology, you can easily take phone calls with your fingertip instead of needing to pick up a phone with your hand every time you receive a call in your busy life.
Fifteen states and the District of Columbia on Wednesday sued…
Luis Silva is vice president and head of Human Resources,…
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been tasked with…


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It’s the time of the year for Forest Lake Area Community Scholarship Foundation’s annual retail drive. Through the cooperation of 16 retail businesses, shoppers add $1 or more to their bill at checkout and sign a placard to be displayed at the business. The fundraiser, which started on March 1, runs through April 15.
Participating businesses include Big Apple Bagels, Central Bank, Culver’s of Forest Lake, Carousel Hair Salon, Domino’s Pizza, Fantastic Sam’s, First State Bank of Wyoming, Forest Lake Dry Cleaners, Joy Garden, Keys Café and Bakery, Kodiak Coffee, Ma and Paws Pet Grooming, Norman Quack’s, Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza, PT Nails and Star and Strikes Entertainment Center.
The foundation aims to raise $150,000 in scholarships this year for students in District 831.


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Ratchet and Clank has received a brand new update recently that adds support for the PS4 Pro. Surprisingly, the update also improves the visuals on the standard PS4.
Approve this story now. I'm currently playing and it's spectacular.
i love Gearnuke
True - it's amazing. Sad to see Insomniac are not making improvements to their other games like Sunset Overdrive. I'm so excited to see what they're capable of pulling off with Spider-Man on a regular PS4, as well as on Pro.
Insomniac is great. They even made improvements to the normal PS4 version. Great job!
Yeah if you open the screen's in 2 separate tabs and switch between. You can see how much cleaner the new update makes it.
Wow, that's great. Anti-aliasing has improved a lot.
The new motion blur technique also looks better
All of this PS4 support is awesome!
Game already look Beautiful what more can this update offer? Said curious gamer. ( asking a question)
Its never bad when they make a great game even better. Bargain of the year still!
I've been playing over the past 2 weeks, and this is a welcome improvement!!
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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Knight Models announces a “price change”
Knight Models has announced that it will be raising prices beginning March 1st, 2023. The company stated in the announcement that it has done its “best to keep prices low for the last 4 years” but due to economic changes worldwide, there’s a need to raise prices.
It’s unknown exactly what’s increasing and by how much, but hurry and get your orders in! We’re assuming prices won’t be decreasing…
The news comes after the recent teaser Knight Models will be producing a game based on Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. It also comes after the recent announcement that Games Workshop would be raising prices by 6% beginning in March.


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Food, Fashion & Fun
Culture fair set for Thursday
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The annual culture fair will take place on Thursday, March 29 from 5 to 8 p.m. in the cafeteria.
Each year Diversity Club hosts the event to celebrate different cultures. The event includes a cultural clothing fashion show, performances such as singing, dancing, instrument playing and more, a variety of different foods, and informational booths.
It costs $2 for a ticket and $2 for food items. Most history classes are offering extra credit for students who come and support the show and participate in the interactive booths, or people participating in the show itself.
Hello! My name is Uzma Pathan and this is my third year working for the Trailblazer. This year I will be serving as a reporter and News Editor. My last...